REVEALED: How Fergie convinced Ryan Giggs to sign for Manchester United

The Welshman was 13 when he joined United and he went on to become a club legend.

Giggs played 963 times for the club, managed them on a caretaker basis following David Moyes' sacking and is now Louis van Gaal's No.2.

And it all started after he caught the eye of Fergie's talent scouts.

Giggs, 41, said: “I went home from school, still in my school uniform, and there was Sir Alex Ferguson at my house.

"It was a couple of cups of tea, few Digestives, then I signed the forms and I was like ‘Can I go back out and play football again, now?’

“It was a big deal, probably more so for my mum.

"Kids now have more access to what goes on but then, as a 13-year-old, the manager of Man United was a million miles away.

"I was level-headed about it – I never got above my station.”

Giggs played football and rugby as a kid before ditching the oval ball game.

He said: “Playing football and rugby was my life.

"Obviously I had school, and I loved PE, but I used to train with my Sunday League team at night and basically my whole week was geared towards playing football or rugby at the weekend. That was my pinnacle.

“No, I didn’t think [I was going to be a footballer] until the age of 16, and I was England Schoolboys captain at 15, playing at Wembley and Old Trafford.

"It still seemed miles away at that age, playing for a team that you’ve idolised and supported.”

Giggs was talking to the BBC Match of the Day magazine, issue 337 Christmas Special, which is on sale now.